Bleacher Report - Articles by Jeffrey Mann

Behind the Rumor: How the Julius Peppers-to-New England Trade Could Work

Jeffrey Mann — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:35:05 -0400

Ever since Vic Carucci's piece on NFL.com, every possible football pundit has come out of the woodwork with reasons why this trade would never work, reasons Peppers could never get the contract he wants.

For those unaware, Carucci reveals that talks between the Patriots and the Carolina Panthers have taken place regarding trading Julius Peppers for the 34th overall pick in the draft.

Michael Smith of ESPN and Adam Schefter of NFL.com have both belittled the possibility of this trade.

Unfortunately for them, they made a critical mistake in their judgement.

Both cited re-signing Vince Wilfork and Richard Seymour as reasons the Patriots would never have enough money to pull this off. I'm here to tell you this: The Patriots are not going to re-sign Richard Seymour, especially if they can get Julius Peppers.

Peppers might not get that initial dollar amount he wants this year, but the Patriots could easily allow for a longer term deal with roughly $8 million this year and escalating to $11-12 million a year following that.

Richard Seymours' cap hit this year is for $9.8 million. That is an additional $9.8 million of cap space for next year, part of which could be applied to the escalation in Peppers' salary.

Many will think this idea is far-fetched, but consider Seymours' recent injury history. He has not been healthy for an entire season since 2004. Also consider the $7.5 million recently invested in promising backup defensive lineman Mike Wright, and prior to that, Jarvis Green.

The Patriots do not idly invest money so that these players can warm the bench. For them to commit four years to Mike Wright means that they want to increase his snaps, as he showed good pass-rush ability in limited action last season.

Also, I'm sure Julius Peppers could fill in as a defensive end from time to time.

Giants' Burres Shoots Himself, Team In Foot

Jeffrey Mann — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 04:14:39 -0500

He has missed team meetings, incurring fines from his team. Missed practices, leading to more fines and suspensions. He has held out for new contracts, only to get injured in his return. Plaxico Burress has had his share of missteps in his NFL career, especially during his tenure with the Giants.

He has clearly shown that he only cares about himself and not his team. Somehow he has managed to escape the "team cancer" label.

Now he has really messed up.

In a report published by Foxsports.com, Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg while out at a New York City nightclub.

I'm just going to leave that statement be.

After it finally sinks in that a player making roughly $10 million a year has managed to shoot himself in the leg, Plaxico's irresponsibility has reached new levels.

At this point the Giants are winning in spite of Plaxico's behavior. The fact that this team has not self-destructed is a tribute to Tom Coughlin. He has dealt with Burress, keeping his teammates' opinions out of the public eye.

That may not be possible now.

And neither T.O. or Randy Moss have ever done anything of this magnitude.

So Plaxico, you are now the No. 1 dysfunctional wide receiver.

Five New Rules For Thanksgiving Day Football

Jeffrey Mann — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 02:54:51 -0500

After a fairly atrocious day in football on Thanksgiving, things have to change. Two predictable blowouts and an mediocre game on the NFL Network that nobody could watch.

In light of this awful day of football, I've set out some new rules for the one day of the year that the most Americans watch football.

1. No More Detroit Lions!!!!...Until this franchise turns themselves around, they are not worth watching any day of the year, especially not on national prime-time.

2. The Cowboys can stay but...Only if they are playing the Redskins or Giants. All of America is watching, why not show them a good game instead of one against the weak Seahawks which was over by halftime.

3. On that note, make it Rivalry Week...Turn Thanksgiving Day and weekend into rivalry week. Games like Patriots-Colts, Giants-Eagles, and Steelers-Browns are sure to keep the whole family interested.

4. Start the games earlier...If a 1 PM start on the East Coast is 10 AM on the West Coast, they can afford to start a game at 11 AM EST. For those of us on the eastern seaboard, watching all three games forces you to stay up well into the night, not an easy feat after consuming copious amounts of turkey and stuffing.

5. For one day, make the NFL Network game viewable by all. It's the one day of the year where almost every household is watching football, so why not let them watch the night game?

The NFL would make a killing on the ad revenue, and could have the networks bid on who gets to show their broadcast. Everyone gets to watch the game, the NFL makes money, it's a win-win.

Dontrelle Willis: The Next Rick Ankiel?

Jeffrey Mann — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:43:06 -0500

Amidst the new rumors that the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers are contemplating a swap of "bad" contracts in Julio Lugo and Dontrelle Willis, I was reminded of just how far Willis has fallen since his breakout 2003 season. From 2003 to 2006, Willis was one of the premier pitchers in the National League. Since then, his decline has been rapid.

Demoted all the way down to single A ball this season, Willis posted an atrocious nine plus ERA during his brief stint with the Tigers this season. Always possessing a herky-jerky motion, Willis has over-adjusted his mechanics to the point where he can no longer control his body.

It is highly questionable that Willis will ever return to form, because when you adjust your motion that much, there usually is no going back. Much like Rick Ankiel in 2001, Dontrelle has lost the strike zone. Maybe not as drastically as Ankiel, but the same overall result as far as his success as a pitcher is concerned.

So, of course, the natural progression will follow Ankiel as well. Dontrelle was always a good-hitting pitcher, twice posting batting averages over .250. He would definitely not be a major league ready outfielder to start, but with time in the minors (where he currently resides anyway,) he could develop into a productive outfield option.

He has always possessed natural power as a hitter, and like Ankiel, the pitching arm should translate well as an outfield arm. It is impossible to project his production on the major league level, but surely it must be greater than that of a washed-out pitcher. And maybe whatever team takes that gamble will be rewarded as St. Louis has been for sticking with Ankiel.

Red Sox-Rays: Rediscovering That Fenway Magic

Jeffrey Mann — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:36:16 -0400

Friday October 17th, 2008

The day the World Series match up was supposed to be set in stone, pitting the worst-to-first Tamba Bay Rays against the Philadelphia Phillies.

At least that was what the TBS announcers calling last nights' game would've had you believe in the sixth inning, before the Red Sox again staged the impossible comeback.

Appearing lost and pathetic the last two games at Fenway, the Sox looked beaten after the Rays jumped out to an early lead. No one will fault the announcers for looking ahead at what appeared to be an obvious victory for Tampa Bay.

Many of the more fair-weather fans even left the stadium, turning their backs on a team that had failed them to this point, unable to stomach any more.

That might have been just what the doctor ordered for the Red Sox, as the remaining fans at the stadium were the die-hards. True fans, who were not afraid to lose their voices, and were willing to get behind and support any small sign of a rally. They were willing to do everything in their power to create a hostile environment for the Rays' relievers.

When the Red Sox began their rally in the seventh, that old magic was back. That 2004 and 2007 magic. The "anything can happen here" magic that anyone on the '04 Yankees or the '07 Indians would grudgingly tell you about.

It's the kind of atmosphere that can make you forget that this team went 86 years without a World Series title. The same electric feeling that before 2004, was reserved for Yankee Stadium alone.

Proving that it was still alive and well after many had deemed the season over, that Fenway magic reared it's head and struck again. The Rays looked on helplessly as the Red Sox scored eight runs in the final three innings, which is the second-longest playoff comeback in history.

Now, the series is not over, but if Tampa Bay wants to know if that Fenway magic will carry over to St. Petersburg, Florida, they should just ask the Yankees if home-field advantage could trump the affects of Fenway Park

Red Sox Take a Big Risk With Rotation By Planning for Seven Games

Jeffrey Mann — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:57:55 -0400

More so than in the past, this 2008 Red Sox team has faced much adversity entering the playoffs.

Injuries have dogged this team, especially the latter part of the season and entering the playoffs. Beckett missed the beginning of the Angels series with an oblique injury, and Mike Lowell is likely out for the season with a hip injury.

Beginning with their series against the Angels, the Sox did not have an effective Josh Beckett to open the series for them, and when he did pitch he showed the rust from his long layoff. Jon Lester filled in admirably, shutting down the Angels twice, in game one and game four.

Daisuke Matsuzaka had mixed results in his start. He was only moderately effective and again was unable to go deep into the game.

With four days between series, the Red Sox are wary of having Lester pitch on short rest. Instead of having Beckett open the series in Tampa Bay, they elected to go with a rotation of Matsuzaka in game one, Beckett game two, Lester game three and Wakefield game four.

In a seven game series, this would be the ideal rotation. The most likely scenario for that outcome would be losing two starts from Matsuzaka and one from Wakefield, while winning both of Beckett's starts and Lester's game three start. This would allow Lester to try for his second win in a deciding game seven.

If this series goes seven games, Terry Francona and the rest of the Sox front office will come out looking like geniuses. There is no other pitcher on the team more qualified right now to pitch game seven than Jon Lester.

Having said that, this series could quickly spiral out of the Red Sox's control with an early loss by either Beckett or Lester. No member of Red Sox Nation wants either Wakefield or Matsuzaka pitching in a must win game. Not only that, but the front office is probably just as afraid of that potential outcome.

Unless Beckett's injury flared back up during his start against the Angels, and his ineffectiveness was due to more than just rust, there is a strong argument to have Josh Beckett be the ALCS game one starter. There is little evidence to show that he would be rusty for a second time, and with four days between series he would be fully rested.

This would allow Lester to start game two. Throwing Lester after Beckett would give the Sox a chance to take a quick 2-0 lead in this series, and would take all of the pressure off of Matsuzaka in game three.

In essence, the Red Sox approach shows great respect for the Rays.

Given the chance to try to play for a shorter series by leading off with their two best starters, the Red Sox respect the Rays enough to assume that they will need seven games to beat them. Either that or they get lucky and Matsuzaka or Wakefield comes through in the clutch.

Hopefully for them, they'll be right, but its a heck of a risk. Though not as much as a lefty hitter executing a suicide squeeze.

Putting 2004 ALCS, 2003 ALDS In Perspective After Red Sox '08 Win Over Angels

Jeffrey Mann — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 03:18:10 -0400

Watching the ALDS play out against Anaheim this year I could not help but be reminded of the Red Sox series comebacks of 2003 and 2004.Any time a team gets into a 2-0 hole, TV networks always show the graphic of how rare it is for a team to come back and win, and when the Red Sox are involved, they always mention 2004 (the 2003 ALDS comeback against Oakland often gets over-looked, but is also impressive).

After the Red Sox stole both games in Anaheim, the Angles mounted a dramatic comeback in game three. Crucial momentum seemed to be on their side. When Jon Lester shut the Angels down through seven innings and left with a lead, the Angels refused to give up. After tying the game in the eight off of Justin Masterson, the Angels were right back in it.

Botching that squeeze play in the 9th was just too much for the Angels to overcome, as the Red Sox won game four and the series. The way in which the Angels clawed back into the game was reminiscent of Red Sox playoff series past, however. Late inning heroics, tight wins, winning on the road in extra innings, every ingredient was there, except for the ability of the Angels to come back and win.

This just serves as a reminder of how great those comebacks were. This year, all four divisional series went to 2-0. Three of those went to game four, and every series had ended by game four. Not one team could even force a game five, never mind sweep three games and steal the series.

With that in perspective, even the 2007 ALCS comeback against the Indians was a rare feat. The Red Sox as an organization has staged some of the most dramatic comebacks in baseball history, all in the last five years. Coming back from a 2-0 deficit against the Athletics in 2003 and of course that historic four-game-sweep to come back from a 3-0 deficit against the Yankees in 2004.

Watching the Angels fail just makes those past victories that much more special. Furthermore, with that history, no playoff series seems out of reach to this organization, something no other team can claim. This is why Red Sox Nation Believes.

When Sage Rosenfels Equals Paul Crewe—Colts Win Every Time

Jeffrey Mann — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 09:28:17 -0400

I'm not saying that Bill Polian got to Sage Rosenfels at halftime or that one of the Colts defenders slipped him a note with the payoff information, but the last four minutes looked about as fixed as possible.

During the game, Sage Rosenfels looked like he was about to permanently supplant Matt Schaub and the Colts never found a good rhythm against the strong Houston front four. After scoring 10 points in the first quarter, the Colts did not score again until very late in the fourth.

When the Colts finally scored their first points in the second half, Houston still looked in control with a 10-point lead and possession of the ball. The Colts kicked away, and with the success that Houston had running the ball, it should have been over.

Enter Sage Rosenfels, starting for a sick Matt Schaub. He had performed beautifully up until this point. He had been running the offense efficiently, with no turnovers and one touchdown pass. The rest of his game looks like this: fumble, fumble, three completions, interception.

The first fumble that Indianapolis recovered for a touchdown came on a play in which he should have slid. The second fumble came when he was scrambling out of the pocket, looking down the field. The one problem is, there was only one receiver out on his side of the field, and he was blanketed by three defenders.

The worst of the three turnovers was the last, coming with about a minute left in the game. After completing a few passes to advance the ball past midfield, he faced second down on the Colts' side of the field, now trailing 31-27.

After dropping back and surveying the field, he threw the ball 25 yards down field, and straight into the arms of a Colts defender. There was not a single receiver within 10 yards of where the pass was intercepted.

I refuse to imply that any NFL quarterback would ever intentionally throw a game, but if I later found out that he did, I definitely would not be surprised. Unless he is really that bad, which he was not for the other 56 minutes of the game.

A bad taste is left in my mouth after watching the end of that game.

Can The Cubs Win Already!? I'm Sick Of Hearing About The Billy Goat And Bartman

Jeffrey Mann — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 07:58:33 -0400

It's bad enough living through the heartbreaking years of being a Red Sox fan pre-2004. I grew up with the curse of the Bambino and Dan Shaunesseys' shameless promotion of it for his book. Every year when things didn't go our way in so many ways it seemed I was doomed to forever be heartbroken by my team.

Then 2004 happened, and everything changed. I realized how depressingly self-serving being a miserable fan was, and how obnoxiously pessimistic we were. I looked through other teams in the league in similar situations and had hope for them to regain old standing and to have new hope.

When the Chicago White Sox swept the Red Sox out of the playoffs en route to a World Series Championship in 2005, I was not disappointed, I actually felt happy for the south-siders who had languished without a title nearly as long as Red Sox fans had.

It was about this point in my life when I actively began rooting for the Cubs. I had briefly flirted with the idea in 2003 when I was presented with the possibility of a Cubs-Sox world series, the only possible outcome at that point in time where i would not strongly mourn a Sox loss.

As someone who has now followed the Cubbies for a few years, this year was encouraging. With the talent they had acquired prior to the season and the trade-deadline deal that brought them Rich Harden, I began to believe that this might finally be the Cubs year, now that the Red Sox and White Sox were out of the way. I was actually looking forward to the playoffs with some excitement, hoping that the Cubs could easily advance.

Flash forward to now, the Cubs are down 2-0 in their playoff series against the Dodgers, and all anyone can mention after that error-filled performance from last night is the billy goat. I'm sick of baseball curses.

If the White Sox were finally able to win after the Black Sox scandal, there is no more room for curses in baseball. I don't want to hear about the goat, the black cat, and especially not about Bartman.

What is it going to take for these Cubs to win? They're definitely not over-matched by the Dodgers, and i don't care how good of a year he is having, I know firsthand that Derek Lowe is no ace.

Contrary to how this series has played out so far, given the choice i would take Zambrano and Harden over Lowe and Billingsley every day. Maybe it was a bit of a mistake starting Ryan Dempster Game One, but not enough of a mistake to get blown out in both that game and the next when Zambrano was taking the hill at home.

Now they're in a position were there is very little chance that they will win. Maybe this is just a test, they would not be the only team to come back from a 2-0 deficit in a divisional series. I mean, the Red Sox had to climb out of a 3-0 hole against the Yankees to finally reach the top. Maybe the Cubs just have to reach back and do the same.

I really hope they do, because somewhere, that day, Bartman will feel like a person again, and goats in Illinois will finally stop being persecuted.

My Team Stinks! Guide To Survive The Rest Of The NFL Season

Jeffrey Mann — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:24:36 -0400

This is dedicated to those who have to suffer being a fan of one of the worst eight teams that are all but removed from contention by now, after week 4. Fans of each individual team need their own ways to cope, and here they are:

Detroit Lions: Rejoice in the Matt Millen firing(now available as a halloween costume)!

Also available: the Matt Millen drinking game, drink up every time you hear the announcers say his name this week!

Other ideas: see if you can run the table in reverse, cheer Jon Kitna's achievement of being the worst QB to throw for 30,000 yards, wait for the Pistons to start playing.

St Louis Rams: Petition the team for a public tryout-maybe they can find someone who can tackle. Cheer for the team to make history as the only winless team ever, only to be joined by the Lions.

Next Week only: the Scott Linehan Drinking game!

Oakland Raiders: Send your resume to Al Davis after he fires Tom Cable week eight. Watch Darren McFadden get his. Hope Jamarcus Russel turns into Donovan McNabb.

Draft a class-action suit against Al Davis for ruining your team. Protest Al Davis by wearing your Raider Nation outfits constantly.

Cleveland Browns: Call for Brady Quinn every game. Realize that no former Belicheck assistant coach has succeeded in a new environment (See Weis, Charlie, and Mangini, Eric). Watch Ohio State, wait for Lebron.

Cincinnati Bengals: Hire Chad Johnson for your kids birthday party after he gets hurt/holds out/protests his team's performance.

Blame Carson Palmer for Ohio State's loss to USC. Canvas local bars looking for Bengals breaking the law, then make money selling videos/photos of it.

New: Take a boat trip with Cedric Benson!

Kansas City Chiefs: Know that your young players will be better next year. Be happy that you'll get a high draft pick to get a legitimate quarterback.

Hope your team will be bad enough to get Herm Edwards fired. Realize your state cannot produce good pro sports teams...root for Mizzou and Chase Daniel.

Miami Dolphins: Hope Chad Henne is good enough to be your quarterback next year. Start a pool as to when Ricky Williams will fail a drug test. Celebrate when you win more games than last season.

Houston Texans: Be happy that you are the best team on this list. Enjoy Steve Slaton's coming out party.

Hope for that outside shot at the playoffs after you beat the Colts this week. Realize that this is the weakest your division has looked in years. Design a better mascot for your team.

Other General Advice:

Find any feature about your team you can use as a drinking game (becomes dangerous for Patriots fans using Tom Brady).

Jump on another team's bandwagon (I suggest an NFC east team).

And one thing any fan on these teams can do: start watching college football to see which player your team should draft.

10 Must-Starts to Win Your Fantasy Matchup This Week

Jeffrey Mann — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:54:18 -0400

Now clearly you all have the players that you'll start regardless of the match up- All Day, LT, Peyton Manning (especially against Houston!) and so on. This list will ignore those completely. This is the list of under-the-radar fantasy starts that just might win you your match up this week.

1. STEVE SLATON(Houston). He didn't amaze anyone with his rushing total last week. His receiving total on the other hand...eight catches for 83 yards! Then again, he was going against a stout Jacksonville defensive front. He should be able to run all over the Colts weak run defense this week.

2. FELIX JONES(Dallas). Dallas didn't run a whole lot last week, and Jones didn't touch the ball at all. Look for that to change this week as they face Cincinnati's miserable defense. Both he and Barber will get their touches, and Jones is a home run threat every time he touches the ball. He could go off this week.

3. ROBERT MEACHEM(New Orleans). With Colston out, Drew Brees has to throw to somebody. The story last week was the resurgence of Deuce McAllister, but the fact that Meachem came up with a couple big catches shouldn't be overlooked. Look for Brees to target him more against a Vikings defense that has no trouble shutting down the run, but is vulnerable in the passing game.

4. DARREN SPROLES(San Diego). Both he and LT should go off against Miami, but I'm expecting Sproles to come up big in the passing game against an inexperinced Miami defense. Like Felix Jones, Sproles is a home run hitter going up against a defensive equivalent of Adam Eaton.

5. Carolina Panthers, All of them. Come on, they're playing the Chiefs, and they are at home. Start the defense, either of the Deangelo Williams or Jonathan Stewart, Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith and Mohammed, just start everyone. You could have most of the Panthers on your team and be optimistic about winning this week. (This same idea goes for anyone playing the Rams for the rest of the season.)

6. Any Buffalo wide out. You did see the Jets-Cardinals last week, right?

7. BRIAN GRIESE(Tampa Bay). You read that right, I said Brian Griese. This is more of an illustration of how bad Denvers' defense is than anything else.

8. Detroit's Defense. This is the point where you think I'm crazy. But they are facing Kyle Orton this week. I'm not saying that they wont get run all over, but the interceptions and fumble recoveries they receive may be enough to offset this. This might be Detroit's best chance to win a game this season, and I'm sure they know that too.

9. Buffalo's Defense. See above, then add Kurt Warner. This could get ugly. Nevermind that Buffalos' D is actually pretty good, and they definately should be higher on this list. oops.

10. Matt Cassel. This is somewhat of a risk, but with Randy Moss on that team he has to throw the ball down field sometime, right? Add in a gambling 49ers defense, and Bill Belicheck armed with an off week: it just might be a formula for success.

Upset pick of the Week: Houston over Indianapolis. Indy's defense is that bad. They can't stop the run, and Steve Slaton is good. Matt Schaub is not as bad as he has appeared in recent games either. It definitely says something about Indy's D that they're only favored by 3 against a win-less team.

Easiest Betting Line of the Week: SAN Diego (-5.5) Over Miami. Expect the Chargers to cover the spread, maybe double it. Miami took New England by surprise last week, they're not going to be able to run that option play on the Chargers' defense this week. The Chargers offense should explode this week, and I expect their defense to be all over Chad Pennington, something the Patriots were not able to do.

Boston Red Sox Have Clear Advantage, Regardless of Game Two's Outcome

Jeffrey Mann — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:56:50 -0400

After an impressive 4-1 win in Game One of the ALDS over Angels' ace John Lackey, the Red Sox now hold a decisive advantage in the division series.

Jon Lester had a dominant performance, as had been expected of him following a breakout year. Now the Angels have lost their home-field advantage, as they will have two must-win games in Boston, regardless of the outcome of Game Two.

Typical of the recent playoff meetings between these two clubs, Red Sox pitching dominated the Angels' batters, allowing only one unearned run.

Prior to Game One, it seemed this series would be all Angels, all the time. They had the best record in baseball this year, had finally provided some much-needed protection for Vladamir Guerrero in the lineup, and had no health issues entering the postseason.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox face a myriad of questions entering this postseason.

Confidence was much lower than usual in Red Sox Nation following the news that Josh Beckett would be unable to go into Game One and would be questionable for the whole series with an oblique strain.

Other health questions surrounded Mike Lowell's hip and J.D. Drew's back, as it was questionable whether they would be able to play or contribute in this series. Regardless of their health, the Red Sox lineup came under scrutiny after subpar seasons from Varitek and Ortiz, as well as concern over the performance of a slumping Lowrie.

After Lester's dominant performance in Game One, the balance of power has shifted in the series. Although neither J.D. Drew nor Mike Lowell made any real contribution, both were in the lineup and playing the field, and presumably will be for the remainder of the playoffs. Josh Beckett will be ready to pitch Game Three in Fenway Park on Sunday.

So where does that leave the Angels?

Game Two in Angel Stadium becomes a must-win against Daisuke Matsuzaka, who is coming off an improved season with borderline CY Young credentials. If they do not win Game Two, the Red Sox will have two chances to finish them off at home—once with Beckett and the other with Lester. Yikes!

If the Angels do manage to win Game Two, they still have to travel to Boston and beat either Beckett or Lester in Fenway Park, a place where both of those pitchers have excelled.

Regardless of the outcome of Game Two, the Red Sox have carved themselves out a clear advantage in this division series, and if they win Game Two, they will be looking for the third postseason sweep of the Angels this decade.

Tom Brady Done for Season; New England Patriots to Work Out Simms

Jeffrey Mann — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:58:31 -0400

Many reports out of the New England Patriots' camp have relayed the information that Tom Brady is likely done for the season with a possible torn ACL. While these reports are still unconfirmed, the Patriots have contacted Chris Simms to bring him in for a workout tomorrow.

Now, thin as the Patriots may be at backup quarterback, they would not be bringing in Simms if the injury to Brady was minor. This could spell a troubling season for the Patriots, as many had penciled them in as Super Bowl favorites.

Chris Simms was a starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for much of the 2005 and 2006 seasons before his spleen ruptured as he dove for an end zone pylon. In 2005, Simms posted a 61 percent completion rate and a QB rating of 81.4.

Yankees in Tight September Battle

Jeffrey Mann — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 05:42:55 -0400

The Yankees are about to enter the September stretch with their worst record in recent memory. Currently they are 12.5 games back in the AL East (a number well beyond reach), seven games back of the Red Sox in the wild card, and 4.5 games behind the Twins (who look like they may be the only real challenger Boston has left).

They have just lost two home series against Boston and Toronto and the only magic working at Yankee Stadium is working overtime for their opponents. Every opposing player is quoted to “be in awe of the chance to play on the hallowed ground of Yankee Stadium.” What good is that doing the Yankees?

At this point in the season, they need to give up on this impossible notion of making the playoffs. It’s not going to happen. Andy Pettitte has lost his last two starts, and Mike Mussina is due to run out of gas any moment. The race the Yankees need to worry about is the one for third place in the AL East.

With 27 games left to play, the upstart Toronto Blue Jays have made a late season push in the standings. Once thought to be well out of it, they find themselves a mere two games back of the formerly mighty Yankees. In a season that was written off early for Toronto, they would enjoy nothing more than deposing the Yankees in the standings.

J.P Riccardi is salivating at the concept of finishing above the Yankees in the division. With three more games left between these two teams, all in Toronto, this promises to be an exciting race down the stretch. It’ll be interesting to see if the Yankees have enough left in the tank to hold off the Blue Jays over these last 27 games.

I know I will follow it, joining an overly-excited J.P Riccardi and a very ticked-off Hank Steinbrenner.

Memo To Alex Rodriguez: You Should Have Stayed in Texas

Jeffrey Mann — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:05:53 -0400

You wanted more money.

You wanted more fame and recognition.

You wanted to be a hero.

You wanted to win World Championships.

How's that working out for you, A-Rod?

This morning, the New York Post called you out, talking about how you needed to come up big in this crucial series against the hated Red Sox. So how do you respond? Let's take a look at your line from tonight:

0-for-5, 2 K, 2GIDP, and 7 LOB.

Way to come up big under pressure. I mean, Come on, two inning-ending double plays?

Probably doesn't help your cause that you struck out to end the game. Or that Yankees fans were booing you every time you touched the ball from the sixth inning on.

Remember that time you got called out for interference when you slapped the ball out of Bronson Arroyo's hand? Yeah, no one else forgot that either.

That whole "being a hero" bit is going really well, right? How many championships have you won with the Yankees?

Over the last few seasons, you have been booed more often than Jose Mesa in Philadelphia. Paparazzi follow you everywhere, documenting the ruin of your marriage.

Now half of that huge contract you signed will go to your ex-wife. You got caught with a stripper in Toronto and with a woman old enough to be your mother. How do you like being publicly recognized now?

Now, you decided to subject yourself to all this. You had a no-trade clause in Texas. You had all of the control in your hands. You didn't have to come to New York; in fact, you should've stayed put.

Who cares if you didn't win anything down there; you showed the world that you didn't care about winning when you went there from Seattle. Didn't Seattle set the record for regular-season wins the year after you left?

In Texas, no one would've cared how many times you struck out with the bases loaded; it's not like they were going to go to the playoffs anyway. And I doubt the media down there would have staked out the strip clubs or, for that matter, Madonna's apartment.

Even though you have that shiny, new $300 million contract, you should know by now that it's much easier being the highest-paid player in baseball when you don't have to worry about that whole "winning" thing.

Chad Johnson and The Ultimate Character Makeover

Jeffrey Mann — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 07:22:13 -0400

The sight of Chad Johnson (stats) illicits many responses among football fans. You might think of his over-the-top endzone celebrations and other displays of arrogant showmanship, or you might conjure up images of the angry wide receiver openly demanding a trade this past summer.

One thing you probably won't think of is a player willing to sacrifice for the good of his team.

Another concept that probably won't come into your mind is one of toughness.

This could all be about to change.

Ever since Johnson unhappily reported to training camp, he has labored to keep a low profile. All questions about his trade demands have gone unanswered, and while he's battled minor injuries that have kept him off the practice field at times, he has been there and performed when he has been on the field.

Then the second preseason game happens. We've all seen the highlight, and most of us who saw it thought that if he was seriously hurt, that'd be the last we'd see of him this season.

Well one of those things was true, Chad Johnson tore the labrum in his left shoulder, an injury that requires surgery. Getting the surgery would keep Chad off the field this whole season, and it is a painful injury to play through.

Even still, that is exactly what Chad plans to do. He has acknowledged that his shoulder requires surgery...he is just refusing to get it. By saying "we have a season to play," he is showing us a Chad Johnson than we are used to seeing.

This new and improved Chad Johnson is willing to sacrifice for the good of his team. He is showing he is someone who is willing to play through injury, knowing that the Bengals need him to have any shot in the very tough AFC north.

If Chad has a successful season, he will have drastically altered the perceptions of him around the league. In truth, Chad could not have hoped for a better set of circumstances to give him a chance to make over his image.

Red Sox Cannot Afford To Leave Door Open For Yankees

Jeffrey Mann — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:14:26 -0400

We all know how crazy a year it has been in the AL east. With Tampa Bay still leading by 4.5 games, it's a race with the Twins for the wild card for these traditional AL east powerhouses. As we come to the beginning of the stretch run, the Red Sox are faced with their most important series of the season thus far.

In what might be the last trip the club makes to Yankee stadium, they are in a virtual must win situation. Lose the series, and they could give the Yankees a glimmer of hope of catching the Sox and reaching the playoffs. Just enough hope to plaster on the New York tabloids, enough to make rabid Yankee fans talk about 1978.

Should the Red Sox not manage to win this series, they will have to lean on the scheduling advantage they have to close out the season. 17 of their last 26 games are at home, opposed to the Yankees only having 10 home games in September.

The Yankees begin the month with a grueling 10 game road trip to Tampa and the west coast. They finish with a trip to Toronto and then on to Boston.

The Red Sox don't want a playoff spot to be in the balance for the rematch of this series, they would rather close the season playing their backups against the Yankees at Fenway. All they have to do is stay ahead of Minnesota and put New York away now, and they'll punch their ticket to the postseason.

9 Year-Old Little Leaguer "Too Skilled," Banned From Pitching

Jeffrey Mann — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:31:31 -0400

Every sports fan harbors dreams of their children's success, wanting their child to be bigger, faster, stronger, or just plain better than other children. Now what if you got your wish, a 9 year-old that can throw 40mph accurately, and other parents decide to ban him from pitching for being "too good."

That's the story for Jericho Scott of New Haven, Connecticut and his family. Officials of his league are even attempting to disband his undefeated team and redistribute the players throughout the league. The last time Jericho took the mound, the other team forfeited and walked off the field.

This sends the worst possible messages about conformity. While his coach and parents speculate that "he is being targeted after turning down an offer to join the defending league champion, an employer of one of the leagues administrators," poor Jericho is not being allowed to enjoy little league.

There will always be varying degrees of skill in any public youth league. By the time little leaguers are 12, the height disparity in the league will be over a foot between the tallest and shortest player. By then Jericho may be throwing into the 70's, if he continues to pitch after this debacle.

At that point in my own little league experience, I began to struggle as a hitter. Wind-ups were the ultimate deception for me. Instead of giving up, or just swinging wildly, I practiced with my father until I was able to pick the ball up and make contact.

Why should Jericho Scott be persecuted for being more talented than anyone else? Shouldn't his talent inspire a stronger competitive urge among the other children to practice and improve?

Have we gotten to the point as a society where we coddle our children to an extent that in the face of adversity the children stop to call foul, unwilling to face failure? Or does this harken back to those original parental dreams of sports greatness for their children being shattered by one child who is truly better?

Misty May-Treanor Cashes In on Olympic Performance; Appearing On ABC

Jeffrey Mann — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:17:38 -0400

Misty May-Treanor wasted no time cashing in on her Olympic fame. Mrs. May-Treanor is agreeing to appear on the next season of "Dancing with the Stars".

May-Treanor and her partner Kerri Walsh won their second consecutive gold medal in women's beach volleyball, their 108th consecutive victory. Both athletes have stated their desire to take a break from the sport and start families, although neither of them have ruled out competing in the 2012 London Olympics.

Other athletic notables set to appear on the show include 2000 double gold medalist in track and field Maurice Greene, and former NFL defensive lineman Warren Sapp.

Trailblazers Face $18,000,000 Salary Cap Hit as Darius Miles Signs with Boston

Jeffrey Mann — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:01:41 -0400

After an extended hiatus, the Celtics are giving Darius Miles a second chance. Problem is, his career was supposed to be over. At least that was what Portland thought when they waived the rest of his contract after it was revealed that he required microfracture surgery.

Now that the Celtics have brought him back, all he has to do is to appear in 10 games this next season for his salary to come back on Portland's books. At $18 million over the next two years, this would be a significant blow to Portland. Previously they had positioned themselves to potentially have upwards of $40 million in cap space going into next summer.

A surprising team last year, Portland had many competitors concerned that they would become a consistent force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference. In addition to the cap space they had set aside to go after any of the marquee free agents next summer, they also are welcoming Greg Oden to their roster.

A highly touted prospect, Oden was the first pick in the 2007 draft and this upcoming season will be his rookie year, after he underwent micro-fracture surgery this past season.

The Celtics are taking a minimal risk with Miles, most likely signing him to a non- guaranteed contract. If he were to return to form, the Celtics could look to see 10.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.15 blocks per game coming off of their bench as a reserve.

Darius Miles also will be serving a ten-game suspension this season for testing positive for a banned diet pill.

IOC Letting China Off the Hook: The Death of Olympic Gymnastics

Jeffrey Mann — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:01:46 -0400

Coming into these Olympic Games, everyone knew there would be controversial issues to deal with.

The International Olympic Committee was assured by China, the host nation, that it would clean up its act in regard to pollution and media censorship. While China has made great strides to clean up the air in Beijing, the rigid censorship remains in place.

It is enough of an issue that the IOC continues to ignore this. The last thing they need to do is ignore credible evidence that three of the Chinese gymnasts were under the age minimum of 16 . The IOC continues to argue that all the verification they need is an athletes' passport, which is extremely easy to falsify.

After the Sydney Olympics, where passports were also used as verification, Chinese gymnast Yang Yun won and kept two bronze medals, despite the fact that she later admitted on Chinese Central Television that she was 14 at the time.

Many would argue that it doesn't matter if they were of age or not. They still out-competed the other teams and athletes.

With that in mind, any 13 or 14-year-old girl would be much more flexible and less developed than a 16-year-old. This gives them the advantage of being lighter on their feet and the ability to more easily complete some of the more complex moves in gymnastics.

There also is less of an understanding of the pressure of the situation at a younger age with less fear of failure.

I guess the real point is, if there wasn't an advantage, why would China try to sneak in under-age athletes?

If the IOC wants gymnastics to retain any shred of credibility they need to strip the Chinese teams of their medals. It is bad enough that the Chinese have won 23 gold medals in judged sports. They absolutely cannot let scores from an underage athlete stand.

I understand how much it behooves them financially to let this slide and ignore everything else that China has done questionably during these Olympics, but the Olympics are not supposed to be about profit.

The Olympics are supposed to represent the purity of sport, even for a controversially subjective sport like gymnastics. Without that purity, how are we ever supposed to take gymnastics seriously again?

8/24 1:55 am...Chinese Officials are saying that the discrepancies were due to "incorrect paperwork." Mysteriously, He Kexin and the other potentially under-aged gymnasts were not in attendance at a concert held for the Chinese Olympic gold medalists. Most likely they are being sequestered away from both the foreign media and IOC investigators.

Usain Bolt: Why The Fastest Man Alive Is in The Wrong Business

Jeffrey Mann — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:38:19 -0400

On Saturday he stunned the sprinting world, easily winning the 100 meter dash in world record fashion.

Every commentator and expert kept talking about how Usain Bolt was too big to be a sprinter, too tall and bulky. And I happened to agree.

Sure, he won the 100 meters—and he'll probably easily win the 200m—but how is he using the fact that he is 6'5" as an advantage? How much money is he going to make as a sprinter, in what will be a short career?

Just think about it, 100 meters is slightly over 100 yards, so we're looking at a guy who could run the length of a football field in under 10 seconds.

Remember that after the Athens Olympics, the Tampa Bay Bucs, Houston Texans, and the Tennessee Titans worked out Justin Gatlin in the hope that he could become a wide receiver.

Justin Gatlin was only 6'1". Usain Bolt has a solid 4 inches on him—and ran the 100 meters 2 tenths of a second faster.

Usain Bolt is only 21, giving any NFL team plenty of time to teach him the details of the game. If he is able to grasp them, he would join an elite company of receivers who are that tall and fast. Think Randy Moss and Terrell Owens.

So I guess the only question left is: How are your hands Usain?

Why Corey Maggette is Better for the Celtics

Jeffrey Mann — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 05:54:31 -0400

Let me preface this by saying that I'm a Celtics fan. And that I love James Posey and what he can do for the team. As one of the best bench defenders in the league, he can lock down just about any teams' star player singlehandedly. He also is a solid perimeter shooter.

As it appears, the Celtics will sign either Posey or Maggette and they both will be vying for four years of the mid-level exemption at around $5.8 million a year.

It is by these criteria that I believe that Maggette is better for the team. Posey is most likely the better fit for next year, but four years from now he's going to be the same as he is now, maybe even a step slower.

Corey Maggette has been a starter for the Clippers and will have to accept a bench role (which the Boston Globe has reported he's OK with) to play for the Celtics.

He is a significant downgrade defensively from James Posey, but his contributions on the offensive end are impressive. He could provide some much-needed scoring off of the Celtics bench as their lone reserve to be able to create his own shot.

After the 2009 season is where the benefits of having Maggette really begin to appear. As a player who averaged 22 points per game last year, he has shown he can be a starter in the NBA. This would allow the Celtics amazing flexibility with their roster, perhaps even enough to trade Ray Allen and his expiring contract after next season.

With the incredible crop of free agents expected after the 2010 season, most of the teams in the league are going to be looking to free up cap space, making Ray Allen one of the most desirable trade options for most of the league.

The Celtics could also keep Allen and use their available cap space in 2010 to go after a big name free agent as well. Allen only becomes expendable if there is a reliable back up behind him on the bench who can contribute offensively. Enter Corey Maggette.

The Celtics were blessed this season with health, especially from their big three. Something Danny Ainge has to be concerned about is what to do if one of them goes down, especially Ray Allen or Paul Pierce. Kevin Garnet is irreplaceable, but a dynamic scorer like Maggette could be a suitable fill-in for either Pierce or Allen if a mid-season injury should occur.